Happy Birthday
by Awesome one
Summary: Slightly AU. Emma has been hard pressed with all sorts of drama since the curse broke and she came back from FTL with Snow. And she has been fighting her feeling for Regina so hard. All she wants is some coco and to watch the rain while she tries to figure it all out. But then, low and behold, Regina walks into the diner for a to-go coffee and a single cupcake. A birthday cupcake.


**So this is a random one shot that came to me while I was sitting around drawing after watching the latest episode. This is a bit AU. In that Cora and Hook never showed up to cause a shit load of drama. **

**Obviously, I own no rights. **

The Sheriff was gingerly sipping her very hot, hot chocolate as she watched the rain pelt the windows of Granny's Diner from her perch on a stool. The soft pitter, patter of the rain was very soothing on her frazzled nerves and, aside from the clanking of pans and ditches from the kitchen, the only sound in the Diner. It was late. Probably nearing midnight. Not many other people were here save for herself, Ruby the toiling waitress flirting with the only other customer, and of course that other customer. Emma didn't bother to flick a glance over her shoulder to see who it was. She didn't care. Her mood was sullen and all she wanted was her hot chocolate and to watch the rain. Listen to the rain.

Today had been a trying one for the Sheriff of Storybrooke. Since the curse broke and fairytales had come to literal life, trouble had arose like fire all over the damn place. Enemies suddenly remembered one another and decided it was best to pick fights in the middle of parking lots, super markets, or the school. Anywhere really. Everyone wanted answers and, since Emma was after all the Savior, they came to her for what they sought. She had to send them away disappointed most times. Everyone wanted to find one another. Which, generally, was the easiest of her problems to be dealt with. Most times. Unless, in some cases, Person A didn't want to be found by Person B thus leading to another one of those stupid feuds Emma had been dealing with. On top of all that, Emma now had parents to juggle with her suddenly very full and busy work day. Parents who were very much insistent that they become a family that did all that hugging, mushy feeling stuff like family dinners, and movie nights. It was weird and awkward. Yeah, she loved Mary-Snow-Mom. And by proxy she cared for David-James-Charming. But they were very clingy and so loving it was nearly suffocating her. She wasn't use to people caring what time she got home, nor was she use to people tackling her in a flying hug the moment she walked through the door. Especially when she had separated brawling dwarves earlier that day and left bruised all over. It wasn't that she didn't love that she had parents now-because she did-it was just a bit to much for her at the moment.

And then there was Henry. The boy had been living with her, depending on her like she was his actual mother and it was overwhelming. She loved him dearly and, in her eyes, he was her son but moreover he was Regina's son. Emma was struggling with the simplicities of motherhood that she was positive Regina had mastered the moment she held Henry as a babe. For instance, Emma didn't know that Henry didn't eat white bread but only wheat bread. What kid ate so healthy? She misjudged the fact that his mother before her had raised him the proper, healthy way. She didn't know that Henry was allergic to hazel nuts until she had to drive him to the hospital. She had received a firm phone call from the ex Mayor for that one. She didn't know Regina actually had such colorful words in her regal vocabulary until that phone call. Emma didn't know that Henry couldn't sleep without having been told a bedtime story for at least a week of having the boy under her custody. She didn't know a lot of things, most of those were how to be a good mother. She was honestly just trying to fucking survive the struggle of it all. She didn't regret a thing, she loved her son and she loved that he was so close to her all the time nowadays, she only wished she knew half of what Regina does. That she were half as good as Regina is.

Emma sighed quietly, tightening her grip around her mug, and glaring out the window. Regina was another problem added to the pile of shit Emma had been trying to deal with lately. She had tried. Honestly she had. She had tried since the moment she had first saw those wide, fear filled, tear brimmed brown eyes of the mayor when she brought Henry back to her. She had tried so fucking hard to expel the feelings she had developed for Regina but she just couldn't make them go. No matter how hard she tried. They remained deep in the pit of her stomach, ever simmering and stewing, brewing, waiting for just another glimpse of that head of perfectly coifed brown hair. Just one more ear full of that lovely voice that always held such a frigid authority. That strong posture, slender shoulders always so high and a chin raised definitely against a world that seemed set to hate her. No, Emma had tried, but she couldn't dispel these strong feelings. This school girl crush. Or, Emma was resigned to admit it only in her mind, something more than a crush. It was only obvious to herself that it was more than a crush. Seeing as Emma went out of her way to make sure she had a reason to see Regina everyday, if only to pick a fight with the woman. Seeing as Emma couldn't bring herself to smile unless she got that moment with the former mayor at least once a day. Seeing as she thought of brown eyes and red lips while she worked. Seeing as her heart thumped hard against her ribcage each and every time Regina Mills entered the same room as Emma. That fucking heart of hers, trying bravely to beat right out of her chest and thump its way to Regina.

These feelings that could easily be interpreted as love if Emma ever allowed them to surface. These feelings were the reason Emma had so readily agreed to keep Regina safe from the mob when Hendry had asked. These feelings were the reason Emma had fought to protect Regina from the Wraith. These feelings were the reason Emma had pushed Regina from harms way and fallen through the hat into an unfamiliar, and frankly, scary land she hailed from. Feelings that made Emma's chest tighten in a pleasant tingly kind of way when she saw Regina standing, leaned against a tree, away from Gold and Ruby when Emma had returned with her mother in tow. Emma had embraced her son eagerly but had not embraced Regina. Not like she wanted too and her body craved her too. The woman who Emma desired in every had merely nodded her hello, said goodbye in the same moment, and disappeared back into the town. A silent coup d'é·tat over Henry. In that moment Regina silently resigned to let Emma take her son from her because it was obvious the boy didn't want her. So Regina had walked away, leaving a gaping wound in Emma's chest that needed filled with all things Regina.

Since then, Regina's presence had been scarce. She was no longer Mayor but remained in her mansion, or so everyone assumed. They never saw her leave. Or enter. On occasion she could be seen leaving Dr. Hopper's office or sitting on a bench over looking the harbor at sunset. Emma made sure to keep tabs whenever she heard a thing about her. She was worried. Rightfully so since each time Emma heard people speak of seeing Regina, they informed her that the woman didn't seem her normal Evil Queen-ish self. She was paler than usual, looking malnourished but not parched as the woman smelled strongly of her famous cider-famous cider of the liquor spiked variety. They spoke of seeing a few tears when she sat upon that bench alone or hearing despondent sighs when she clacked down the sidewalk away from the crickets office, arms wrapped tightly around her torso but chin still up. These people relaying information of course never engaged the brunette but simply let the lonely woman walk away. Emma wondered if Regina was heartbroken over her loss of the curse or of Henry. If she was lonely now that everyone remembered and no one wanted a thing to do with the Evil Queen. She wondered what Regina now did with her huge gap of free time, now that she no longer had a town to run and a child to look after. She what Regina felt, what she cried over, why she drank so, why she went to see Archie, why she hadn't tried contacting Henry. She wondered why she cared and, of course, that brought Emma full cycle to her feelings for Regina and knew, without a doubt, that was why she cared.

And that was why Emma was here, so late, drinking coco and watching the rain. Because Snow and James were being ridiculously (though admittedly, pleasantly) overbearing. Because her day had been shit and she was stressed the fuck out. Because Henry had been asleep by the time she managed to get through the door of the apartment. And because her brain was riddled with Regina based thoughts and her heart was full of Regina based worries. All no avail, as Regina hated Emma and the Evil Queen was now recluse and, even though Emma use to make a reason to see her everyday, Emma hadn't managed to catch so much as a glance of the brunette since she had crawled from the well back into Storybrooke.

"How's that chocolate comin' Ems? Need another?" Ruby startled Emma from her thoughts, causing the blond to jerk and splash a healthy portion of her drink across the front of her white tank top. Thankfully, the drink had cooled during her musings so it didn't burn much, but it didn't leave a nasty sting to her pride.

"Oh gosh Emma! I'm so sorry I didn't mean to-"

"That's okay Rubes," Emma reached across the counter to pull free a multitude of napkins and began patting at her chest and abdomen, "but I think I could get another drink now that I'm wearing this one. And make it to go. It's getting late and I gotta get the kid up for school tomorrow."

Ruby patted Emma's forearm with a gracious and apologetic smile, "Of course. One hot chocolate with extra whip cream and extra cinnamon coming up. On the house."

Emma nodded her thanks, her focus more on trying to rub the brown stain out of her favorite white tank top. Behind her the bell above the door chimed, signaling the arrival of another customer but Emma was still to intent on pulling up the cooling chocolate drink from the cotton of her shirt with napkins. There was a pile now in front of her, next to the mug that had chocolate and whip cream dripping from the side of it onto the counter. Head down and brows furrowed, Emma ruthlessly rubbed at the stain, taking her vexations out on it by means of over-cleaning. She knew it was hopeless but she did it anyway. Until her arm began burning and her neck began to cramp from the odd angle. With a frustrated sigh she threw the ripped and soggy napkin onto the table with the rest and leaned against the counter on her forearms, dropping her head onto the countertop, safely away from the sticky puddle of cream tainted chocolate.

Her ears picked up the faint murmuring of an order for something sweet and spongy and a cup of coffee. To go. The only reason she really even heard it over the storm of irritation storming inside was because it was _her _voice. Regina. The tone was still cold but not nearly as cruel, in fact not cruel at all. Just sad. Hollow. Followed by a tiny, quiet sigh of the saddest brew. Emma's heart cracked at the sound.

_Regina…_

Emma picked her head up to, not even discreetly, look at the former mayor. It had been so long since Emma had been given the chance to indulge herself. She planned to take full advantage now. The brunette's poise was still intact. Her chin still up, shoulders still high, posture still straight with the greatness of a Queen. Yet there were subtitle changes that, Emma suspected, only she could notice. Her chin still held but it wasn't high with a haughty superiority meant to make others feel lowly in her presence, it was just the proud, defined chin of a broken woman. Her clothes were still pressed to perfection and her hair was still coifed in just that way but Emma could see Regina put it together with carelessness. She was paler. And there was a red tint to her eyes that suggested crying. And her hands that were folded atop the counter as she waited patiently for Ruby, were trembling in just the slightest of ways. In less words, Regina looked like shit but kept together shit.

Emma turned on her stool, grabbed her folded up red leather jacket that the mayor so vehemently despised, and hopped onto the floor to take deliberate steps towards the brunette. Sad brown eyes lifted from her tanned hands to take in the person moving towards her and Emma couldn't ignore the way Regina winced when she noted who it was. Sighing sadly, Emma leaned her back against the counter just a breath away from Regina.

"Hey." _Smooth Emma. _

Regina worked her jaw in an irked fashion and reached up to flick her hair with the tips of her fingers from her face. Her tear streaked but otherwise perfect face.

"Miss Swan, how fortunate I should run into you after such an absence of your stellar company." Obvious sarcasm that never failed to cause an ember of sting in Emma. Though she was pleased to note it didn't hold the usual malice but was more of an empty attempt at caring where there was no care.

Emma reached a hand up to awkwardly tangle her fingers in the hair at the nape of her neck, raking her green eyed gaze all over Regina's sad face, more focused on the broken look in those beautiful eyes than to bother coming up with any form of a retort other than, "Yeah."

Regina raised an amused eyebrow, the corner of her lip twitching slightly like it wanted to pull into a smile but was being force down, " 'Yeah'? Nice to see that your still as clever as I remember you being," Then those eyes flickered down to Emma's stained top and skinny jeans, "and that your fashion is still impeccable. Nice shirt."

Self consciousness surged through Emma and she wasn't sure how to handle it so she just dropped her eyes down to the light brown stain in her top with a shrug of her shoulders, "I spilled my hot chocolate. I guess its fate anyway since I needed to get rid of it. It's getting ratty but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. It's my favorite." Emma ran loving fingers down the front of her shirt, remembering that this had been the one she had wore when she had showed up in Storybrooke and it had been the one she wore when she attacked Regina's beloved tree with a chainsaw.

"Quite the sob story Miss Swan," Regina's posture became impossibly straighter when Ruby came over to set a to-go coffee and a cupcake in a box on the counter in front of Regina, "It's a shame I have to take my leave now." The former mayor dolled out the proper amount of money and what looked like even a little extra for Ruby, even giving the werewolf a polite 'thank you'. Emma looked down at the white top of the cupcake sitting in the open cardboard box, waiting to be shut, with a look of confusion. How strange that the mayor would be, not only indulging in something so unhealthy, but at such a time of night.

"Thanks Madame Mayor-" Ruby paused in putting her tip away in the front of her apron, giving Regina a sheepish look, "Thanks Regina. Enjoy you cupcake. I put extra frosting on it just for your birthday." Then Ruby saddled away, only sparing the brunette an awkward smile as an apology for the mishap of the old title. Regina heaved another sad sigh, looking down at her cupcake with a broken look that quickly passed to the blank look of nothingness Emma was so use to seeing. She took care in folding the top of the box shut over her cake, never once lifting her eyes from the project.

Emma, for her part, couldn't take her wide eyes from the woman beside her. Ruby had mentioned birthday. It was Regina's birthday and she was spending it alone, eating a cup cake as celebration. How ironic that was. Henry hadn't mentioned anything about it being his mothers birthday, not at all. Not once during the week and not even today. She had noticed that he had looked a little sad as of late and stared out the window of his room with an almost forlorn look but she hadn't questioned it. Only marking it off as pre-teen hormones. She knew that he had begun missing his mom and that he felt guilty for it since she was supposed to be this evil woman. Emma couldn't help but wonder if Henry had wanted to be with his mom today. Even for just a little while. Guilt washed over her in a cold wave, filling her to the top of her head and draining her of any increment of care she had left for the day.

_Regina…_

"Well goodnight Miss Swan. See to it you get home safely would you? This town only has one Sheriff after all, we couldn't have you going and getting yourself killed because, god forbid, that your father take over your position as acting law." Regina's face scrunched up the way one would if they had just taken a large bite out of an onion. Emma thought it was adorable. The former mayor swept her hair back with her fingers once more, picked up her things, and strutted for the door, her clear intent was to leave.

Panic rose in Emma at the thought. This was the first time Emma had seen her in months and on Regina's birthdays of all days, the brunette was just going to stride out of her on those high heels, alone, with nothing but a cupcake.

_Don't go. _

She tightened her grip on her jacket and rushed past the brunette to jerk the door open for Regina. A blast of cold, wet air blew into the diner, tousling Regina's hair and sending a shiver up Emma's spine. After getting her hair under control, Regina shot Emma an unreadable look but didn't say a thing. Just nodded and walked through the proffered door. Emma waved good bye to Ruby, who was holding Emma's to-go hot chocolate with a questioning look, before the blond slipped in the night behind the former mayor. Intent on not loosing the woman so soon after just getting her short moment.

When Emma stumbled outside, trying to stuff her arms into the allotted holes in her jacket while also trying to keep pace with Regina, she noted that the woman was walking instead of getting into her Benz. So Regina had walked. In this weather. Alone. At night. Emma's heart thumped painfully at thought, all different kinds of emotions flooding the coggles of the organ still calling out to the former mayor with each steady beat.

"Regina! Wait!" But Regina didn't wait, if anything her pace sped up but it was hard to tell through the rain and the darkness. Emma managed to get her arms through and flipped her hair out from the collar, her mass of curls tickling her neck. She broke into a jog to reach the mayor would could power walk like a champ, apparently. That or Emma was really out of shape. Images of bear claws for breakfast and vast amounts of sugary hot chocolate lapsed through Emma's mind and she frowned. She was probably out of shape.

Finally though she caught up with the woman and reached out to grasp her elbow, pulling her to a stop. Regina fought for but a moment before slumping her shoulders and turning to face Emma, her face tight with pain.

"What? What is you want Miss Swan that is so important you have to run after me and manhandle me in such a way?" The words with spat with an anger Emma hadn't had the pleasure of hearing in such a painfully long time but the anger seemed more self aimed than it was meant for Emma. That made Emma's treacherous heart bang angrily against her ribs, wanting desperately out of Emma's chest cavity so that it could be within Regina's, cuddled up against the mayors heart for company.

She floundered. She hadn't had any conscious thought when she raced after Regina. She hadn't come up with some excuse for engaging in conversation with the former mayor nor had she thought up some sort of thing they could bicker about. She had merely ran to be near those dark eyes, bask in that sad downturn of luscious, red stained lips. Anything to be with or near Regina again. To feed that simmering, wanting pool of yearning lingering and living within Emma that was constantly wanting all things Regina. And now she was here, standing with a livid looking Regina yet her eyes just seemed tired and Emma had no clue what to say. So she spit up the first thing that popped into her head.

"Happy birthday."

Regina blinked once. Twice. Confusion clearly marring her beautiful visage. Then her lips pulled into something resembling a smile and a little light returned to those eyes. Her posture became just the barest bit lax.

"Pardon Miss Swan? I…don't think I heard you over the rain." It's was a lie and they both knew it but they also both knew Regina needed to hear it again. At least one more time.

"Happy birthday Regina." And Emma smiled the brightest, warmest smile just for Regina. Because Emma knew very well the feeling of spending a birthday completely and utterly alone. And because this was the woman that Emma had fallen hopelessly in love with.

Now Regina's smile was full blown and so lovely that Emma may have melted over it just a little bit. Not that she would ever admit it. To anyone. Ever. The brunette let out a shaky breath that could have been confused for as a laugh. Her fingers clutched her cupcake and coffee just a little bit tighter and her wide brown eyes stared up at Emma with such raw vulnerability. Nothing like Emma had ever seen in the Queen's eyes before. It sent a shudder through her body and made her heart beat faster with giddiness.

"You're the first and only person to say that to me today Miss Swan."

Emma frowned, "But Ruby…" She trailed off, her confusion becoming evident with the way her brows drew low over swirling eyes and her lips pursed.

Regina chuckled dryly, her shoulders shaking from both the coldness of the laugh and the rain soaking them both, "Miss Lucas merely mentioned my birthday. She didn't wish it well. Not like you." And Regina was giving Emma that unreadable look just like the one she had given her when held that door open for Regina. It was both terrifying as it was exciting because it could have either meant what her heart begged it to mean or it could have been what her heart begged it not to be.

"Yeah well…" Emma shrugged. Regina looked down at the things occupying her hands, as if affronted by their presence though Emma couldn't fathom why. She watched Regina glare at them for a second or two before letting out a sigh and lifting her eyes, still vulnerable as ever but now warmer with something-was that happiness maybe?-to lock with Emma's gaze.

"Thank you Emma. It means more than you can imagine." The sincerity in Regina's voice stole Emma's breath away and her ability to form coherent thought. She bobbed her head stupidly, keeping her eyes locked with Regina's and subconsciously reaching her head up to rub her chest. Her heart was beating like fucking crazy. The stupid fucking heart of hers was really trying to get out of her now. It wanted Regina so badly. It wanted to sit in her hand and feel her warmth through every bit of it. To feel her breath when she bent over her heart to inspect it. Because it belonged to Regina and it wanted to be with the person it knew it belonged too. Emma didn't even notice when Regina dropped her eyes to watch Emma rub her chest, a worried look flashing across her face. Nor did she notice when Regina set her coffee on the ground to free her hands.

"Emma? Are you alright?" Her now free hand reached out, tentative, to touch. For assurance. The tips of her warm fingers touched the back of Emma's hand and all thought was lost. All ability to hide how she truly felt for the brunette. Her mouth fell open slightly, her eyes glazed over, and her breath fell out of her mouth in shallow, choppy intakes and outtakes. Regina didn't notice. Her eyes were narrowed at her fingers that were now running along the lengths of Emma's long index and middle fingers that were laying curled over her heart.

"Yeah…" She breathed the words out, incapable of actual speech due to the way Regina was caressing her digits just above the heart that was calling out to the brunette in its bump de thump way, "Just my heart…"

Regina flicked her eyes back to Emma's face, worry now entirely encompassing the older woman's face, "Your heart? Are you having a heart attack Miss Swan!? I'll call 911! I told you that your dietary habits would be the end of you one day but you never listen to me!" Regina carelessly dropped her birthday cupcake onto the ground so that she could dig through her purse for her cellphone in a frenzied hurry to call 911 dispatchers before Emma could die of a heart attack. Emma followed the box the cupcake resided in until it hit the ground, flinching when it fell over on its side and water splashed across the wax covered cardboard. She hoped it wasn't ruined. Regina deserved the treat.

_Oh Regina…_

Emma stilled Regina's flying fingers across her keypad before they could hit send, holding the woman's petite hands between Emma's calloused extremities. Brown eyes lifted to look into Emma's calm ones, the complete opposite of the worry and, just a hint of fear, swirling around the depths of Regina's dark eyes. Emma could feel Regina flexing her fingers, rolling her wrists, in a sore attempt at breaking from Emma's touch but they both could tell that Regina didn't really want it gone. They both found it grounding.

"I'm not dying Regina."

Regina narrowed her yes, almost as if she were daring Emma to be lying, "Then whatever is wrong with your heart? Do you have a murmur? Is it genetic? Oh my god! Did you give my son a faulty heart through genetics!? I swear Miss Swan if I have to-"

"No! My heart is fine. Healthy I mean. It was just…" Emma paused, still feeling that the stupid organ was thumping madly against her sternum almost as hard as Henry use to kick within her womb to garner her attention, "It's just beating pretty fast. That's all."

Regina's eyebrows furrowed cutely and she dropped her gaze down to glare at where Emma's heart lay under her flesh, offended that it was causing Emma enough distress to cause Regina distress by proxy. The stupid heart fluttered happily at being given attention by it's owner, picking up in speed as if it were anticipating Regina to give it the loving attention it craved. The hands trapped between Emma's tensed and one pulled loose to lay over Emma's sternum, flat against the heating flesh. In a blink, Emma saw Regina's eyes widen to a size bigger than some cartoon's and her mouth dropped open in shock.

"Miss Swan….Emma…what on earth…?" Emma opened her mouth but snapped it shut, her eyes falling closed in bliss, when she felt the pad of just one of Regina's fingers begin to draw lazy circles into the skin covering that treacherous heart of hers.

"It does that," Regina looked up but kept her hand over Emma's beating heart, her finger still caressing her skin lightly, almost lovingly, " When I'm around you. It does that."

The vulnerability was back in Regina's eyes with more strength than before, her wide eyes trying to convey everything her words could not. She stepped closer into Emma's space, keeping her hand anchored against the taller blonde's chest between them.

"Really?" Regina whispered the word and Emma found it so endearing. That Regina was so little in this moment. Regina, Evil Queen, Mayor Mills Regina that had threatened Emma every which way. The proudest woman Emma had ever known, even outdoing herself. This regal breed of woman who was normally so strong, so cold, so _precise _had just whispered a word in a scared, begging tone that made Emma's heart skip a beat or two. Cracking further at Regina's fear of Emma's rejection.

Emma stepped forward too, fully encompassing the small bit of air between them and pressing her body fully against Regina's curves. She placed her hands, tentatively, on Regina's hips, rubbing circles against Regina's hipbones through the silken fabric of Regina's blouse.

"Yeah really. I'm sort of crazy for you." And Emma smiled, a small reassuring smile. That Regina returned. Nothing like those sneers or twisted evil smiles Regina had thrown at Emma before. But an honest, heart warming smile. Little as it may be.

"Emma…" Regina's eyes closed and she dropped her forehead onto Emma's sternum, just under her chin so that her lips were hovering above Emma's still wildly beating heart. The softest of kisses was placed to it. One kiss that was blocked by Regina's fingers still splayed over her chest. Then a second that was placed fully onto the skin of Emma's chest when Regina moved her hand up into Emma's hair.

Emma dropped her chin onto Regina's head with a satisfied sigh, happy to feel those velvety, full lips touch her in any way.

"You just made my birthday the best of any I've had," Another light kiss, "it started so bad. I cried nearly all day," A harder kiss, desperate, this one against the underside of her jaw, "I was so lonely until you approached me in the diner Emma. I'm so lonely all the time. I suspect Miss Lucas and Henry, perhaps Snow, are the only ones who even remembered me today," Emma held her breath when she felt those lips press a deliberate kiss against the corner of her mouth, lingering for a long second or two, "Until you followed me and wished me a happy birthday. Until you recognized my existence and didn't treat me like muck or a filthy, disgusting human being that is evil beyond saving. Oh Emma….thank you. Thank you. I've been waiting for you to acknowledge me. I've been waiting for you Emma….for a long time. I just didn't know it until I saw you standing in my drive, in that hideous jacket of yours." And then Regina's lips were over Emma's hot, and desperate but sweet and slow. Both of Regina's hands gripped the lapels of the jacket she hated, her knuckles bushing Emma's chest as they kissed. Emma wound her arms around Regina's waist, pulling the woman as close to her as she could get without physically merging the two of them. Only after what felt like hours of bliss spent kissing did they part but not leaving to far from one another. Regina still clutched Emma's lapels. Emma still held Regina close. Their noses touched. And they breathed heavily against each others lips, helping prevent frost bite in the freezing rain still pelting against them without mercy.

Emma did something so fucking cheesy and romantic it made her a little bit nauseous but it made her feel a lot bit warm and happy that she wasn't sure she cared. She rubbed her nuzzled Regina's nose with her own and pecked her lips in a chaste kiss before scooping Regina up bridal style. The Queen let out a surprised sound and clung to Emma's neck while the blond carried Regina towards her parked yellow bug. Her intensions to drive Regina home so they could possibly warm up. Warm each other up. Maybe in front of a fire with a shared blanket and a lot less clothing.

"Miss Swan! What do you think your doing!? Put me down instantly! If you think you can just kiss me like that then put me in that death trap you call a car you're either mentally deranged or just plain stupid! And my guess is the second one! Put me _down_!" But Emma could hear the humor and adoration in Regina's voice and she could feel the way the older woman hand her arms around Emma's neck, her fingers playing with the curls at the nape of her neck.

Emma managed to pull the passenger side door open and placed Regina down onto the seat, reaching into the backseat for one of her spare jackets she kept just in case to drape it over Regina's shaking form. She paused then, throwing a glace back to where the cupcake lay on its side in the rain on the street. Leaving the door open, Emma raced over to scoop it up and ran back to Regina, depositing the box onto the former mayors lap. Regina eyed it with something akin to amusement but her look was cut short when Emma grabbed her chin, gently, to pull her face towards the blond so she could receive another light, chase kiss to the lips.

"Happy Birthday your Majesty." Regina's smile lit up Emma's life and set her thumping, bumping, happily beating heart on fire.

"Thank you Emma."

**My apologies for any and all mistakes. It's late and my beta is already in bed. Therefore no corrections for you guys. Sorry! Hope you enjoyed it, feel free to let me know. Via review. Now it's off to bed I go, hiho hiho. **

**Dulce sue****ños. **


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